


What is my life

by Oyamathetaco



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: A bunch of ocs - Freeform, Andrew and Neil foster a kid, F/F, F/M, Kinda, Tessa isn’t just any kid, Tessa’s point of view, shouldn’t be that hard, yeah?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:15:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29469309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oyamathetaco/pseuds/Oyamathetaco
Summary: Besides, Palmetto State University was on the other side of the country. And what were the odds of Danielle Wilds recruiting Tessa? Not because she was a kid with slim chances of a future, that is what the foxes did with, but because she knew her luck wasn’t getting any better and she stopped dreaming a long time ago.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	1. Same old same old

**Author's Note:**

> TW: mentions of self harm and alcoholism. 
> 
> That’s about it for this chapter. Please comment if I forgot anything. Enjoyyyy...

Tessa sat in the waiting room of the building she was required to go to every Wednesday evening to see her therapist, Arielle Jackson. A former social worker who’d been assigned to her when she entered the foster care system at 6 years old. It was their last weekly session that was going to be turned into time-to-time gatherings once she was passed on to the next home in the neighbor that was a few miles away. Tessa didn’t really like change. She’d been able to stay in a home for the whole timespan without being sent back for bad behavior or ‘complications’. 

She entered Arielle’s new office that was now 2 stories up from the second floor. She’d been promoted and was moved to a bigger office with white marble window ledges that were already serving as a counters for her cactus pot plants. Her silver blue couch from the old office was present and over a new light grey rug. There was a coffee table with a marble surface matching the window ledges. There were still a few boxes against the bookshelf that stretched from one side to the other side of the wall behind the couch. She slid her bag off her shoulder and leant her skateboard against the wall. 

“How was school, Tessa?” Arielle asked once they were both settled. 

“Utter crap,” Arielle gave her a look asking her to elaborate, “I got detention so I’m benched from tomorrow’s game.”

“Well then I have good news. I’m driving you tomorrow so I’ll pick you up early so we can get to Calabasas just before lunch.” She put her glasses on and began to read something on her laptop. Arielle was really good at multitasking so she could be reading an email without giving Tessa any less attention. “And I confirmed that the high school does indeed have an Exy team. They occupy a high spot in their district’s league.” 

“Skateparks?” She ducked her head towards her skateboard that the last family had tried to break.

“Yep. Exiting right?” She gave a Tessa a wide grin.

“I guess.”

“Oh c’mon. Have a little enthusiasm. I’d be pretty exited if I was going to live with-,” she covered her mouth with her fist. Arielle wanted it to be surprise for Tessa. That was the only reason she was somewhat optimistic to where she was off to since even Arielle was willing to keep it a secret for this long. “If I was going to live with...uh a new family.”

“Way to redeem yourself.” Tessa stated sarcastically, “Any other kids?”

“Nope. Just you.”

They sat in comfortable silence after that whilst Tessa scrolled through her phone, taking advantage of the building’s WiFi. She probably would have done her homework, but tomorrow was her last day at her current school. Tomorrow she’d meet her new foster parents who lived in Calabasis which was 90 minutes away. 

She broke the silence and asked “What do two hot shots want with a foster kid anyway? Let alone a teenager?”

“I guess you’ll find out tomorrow.” Arielle responded with a small smile. 

Tessa left the center on her skateboard, earlier than usual so that she could get home and pack. Not that she had much to pack because the last family had shrunk half of her shirts in the dryer on purpose. They also managed to damage her Vans Skates, so now she was riding to the home with no-name, worn out high tops that pinched her toes when she made certain movements with her feet. She stopped to get an ice-cream on the way and arrived at around 6pm.  
“Where the hell were you?” Her foster brother Graham demanded, opening the door to the small house home. “Huh!?”

“I had a session with Arielle.” She responded with a small voice. “Sorry.”

“Get in here,” he moved out the way to let Tessa in, “Penny will be her soon and she’ll punish us all if you don’t make you’re bunk.”

“Ohh I’m scared, girl.” She mumbled sarcastically.

Tessa hurried to her room and began to tidy up and pack. All her belongings unsurprisingly fit in her grey duffel bag. She’d leave most things behind since they weren’t even hers to begin with. Penny Sanders, the foster mom of the group home, made her, Graham, Jade, Kendal and Peter share most of their clothes since there wasn't enough money for them to have individual closets. She wondered if Penny wouldn’t go out and get drunk every other day, maybe there would be enough.

Jade and Graham are brother and sister but Graham still treats her like a stranger in the street. Jade claims it’s because he’s a senior and 6 years older than her but Tessa begs to differ. Kendal is a quite and mostly keeps to herself. She’s smart for a fourth grader but Tessa seems to be the only one who notices. She used to be really optimistic but she came back from one family and had completely changed. Tessa didn’t miss the way she flinched every time someone made a sudden and unexpected movement. Even though she slept on the pullout couch in the living room, Tessa still heard it when she’d wake up crying and sometimes even puking from a nightmare. Peter was the youngest of all of them. His seventh birthday had recently passed. He’d have a better chance of all of them of being adopted but he had a reputation of bad behavior. 

Tessa tidied the house with assistance from Jade, while Kendal and Peter watched cartoons on Graham’s old laptop. It was just the four of them because Graham had gone out with his friends. She ordered pizza with change she found on Penny’s nightstand. The others would probably get an earful tomorrow for stealing but they had to eat something. After all, there was no food in the kitchen. Again. 

Tessa went to sleep that night hoping she wouldn’t need to use the razor blades that she kept in the bathroom cabinet. She couldn’t sleep in fear of having flashbacks from her time with the last family again. She started to think about how her life was utter crap and how the universe kept taking and taking. She didn’t believe in karma...what had she done to deserve everything that came her way? Tessa first started self injury when she was 13, when she realized it helped with relief from situations that would never change or couldn’t be fixed. She was a foster kid, dumped in the system after her mom blamed her for her father’s murder. Her chances of being adopted were low because everyone wants the babies when their still cute and whatever. She thought about how she was just going to be thrown around into different homes like a rag doll. When she’d turn eighteen, she’d probably end up getting a job that payed minimum wage because she didn’t care about school enough to even fantasize about earning a scholarship to college. She’d though about becoming a fox before. Her role model, and now coach of the Palmetto State Foxes was Danielle Wilds. She took over David Wymack a few years ago. There was also the best ranked goalkeeper -Andrew Minyard- in the country who was a fox, Neil Josten of THE US national team and Kayleigh Day’s own, Kevin Day son were foxes. She had a poster of him hanging in her room but the last family tore it up as well. She yearned to be a role model like Allison Reynolds who’d started her own sports brand that was in collaboration with Nike, who was also a fox. 

Besides, Palmetto State University was on the other side of the country. And what were the odds of Danielle Wilds recruiting Tessa? Not because she was a kid with slim chances of a future, that is what the foxes did with, but because she knew her luck wasn’t getting any better and she stopped dreaming a long time ago.


	2. Maybe it’ll be different?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so lazy to tag but seriously, I might change a bunch of stuff. I wrote this before I read the extra content so everything is just me writing stuff that isn’t even correct? 
> 
> ((They live in Cali because West Virginia gives me yee yee vibes))

Tessa walked out into the parking lot in search of Arielle’s car. She placed her duffel in the backseat then got comfortable in the passenger seat. Arielle showed with a thin file in her hand, twenty minutes later.

She got in the driver seat and waved the file up in the air, “Congratulations. You’re officially no longer a high school student.” She threw the file to the back, “Enjoy it. It’ll be over in like twenty hours.”

She was talking about how Tessa would have to go to her new school tomorrow, along with her new foster parents to sign all the papers and all that stuff. Arielle wouldn’t be there since as of today she was going to be in legal custody of whoever she was going to meet in an hour. 

They arrived in Calabasas half an hour later because they’d stopped to get McDonald’s on the way.

“Ooh well ain’t this fancy,” Arielle impersonated a southern accent. 

“Don’t the Kardashian’s live here or something?”

“Yup.” She said with as side of hint in her voice.

“Holy shit! Are you-”

Arielle laughed loudly, “Don’t flatter yourself Tessa.” She switched back to her normal accent. “You’re still in for a big surprise though.”

“You’ve been saying that for like three weeks now.”

“Hush child. Patience is-”

“-not the ability to wait but to keep a good attitude while waiting. Blah blah blah. Seriously Arielle, you’re still young. You can still end the cycle of mediocre therapists.”

“Ah. Expect I’m not your therapist anymore. I’m your current social worker who-Ooh, we’re almost there!”

“Exiting.” Tessa responded sarcastically. 

They drove onto a somewhat private road that lead to a tall black gate. Arielle opened the window and held the button on the monitor and said, “Uh...I’m Arielle Winter. I’m here with Tessa Gonzalez ...” it spoke back but Tessa wasn’t listening anymore as the gate drew open and revealed a long driveway leading up to a newer, luxurious home with a fountain in the center. There was a large patch of grass on the right side that visibly lead to a backyard behind the house. It wasn’t a gigantic mansion with statues spewing water or anything, but it was clear that these people had money. 

Arielle parked behind a shining black Maserati and watched the door with intent and sharp eyes. She gripped the steering wheel tight with excitement. Her grin widened when the door swung opens and two-

“Wait what?” Tessa sat up from her sunk position, “Is that-”

“I can’t hold it in anymore! Yes Tessa that’s your favorite goalkeeper, mr Andrew Minyard himself!And yes that’s his fiancé, Neil Josten and they’ll will be your foster parents for the next 9 months!” She practically bounced in her seat like an exited child, “It feels so good to get that off my chest.”

“How’d you even-”

“Well, you watched that one game in my office that one time, so I looked them up since you wouldn’t shut up about their skill and whadda whadda sports stuff...blah. Anyway I searched the wrong engine -turns out it was the list of people who registered to foster children- and oop, Andrew’s name showed up so I contacted him and we signed papers and all that boring stuff and here we are. Now c’mon, lets go.”

She masked her beaming expression with a tedious look when she hopped out the car. Tessa was familiar with hiding her sentiment around other people. She viewed displaying emotion as a sign of weakness and learned her lesson a long time ago. Like when she ‘cried too much’ and the Pierson family sent her back. 

She got out the car and tried to avoid eye contact with both Neil and Andrew though it was hard when Andrews hazel eyes illuminated in the direct equatorial sunlight and Neil’s icy blue pupils sparkled with obvious delight. She moved into the shade after feeling the California sun blaze over the atmosphere. She was wearing all black and her occasional long shirt to hide her forearms. Arielle hadn’t even seen her wrists and she didn’t know what she did to them. 

Arielle exchanged hugs with Neil and Andrew. They’d obviously met before if their greeting was less formal than other parents Arielle assigned Tessa to. Once they were inside, Arielle explained that her and Andrew were going to talk about ‘things’ while Tessa could tour with Neil in the meantime. 

Neil carried most of their convo, Tessa only responding with a few ‘yeah’s here and there. When they finished covering upstairs, Neil showed Tessa her bedroom. It had its own bathroom with a shower and a large bath with double sinks and toilet hidden by a tiled half wall hiding a toilet. There was a window bay displaying the view of a large swimming pool area with a pool house and a bar. 

Neil didn’t come into the room, rather leaning in the doorframe. Tessa appreciated that for some reason. It’s almost like Neil understood the concept of boundaries and had a clear sense of personal space. He didn’t hover over her and kept a safe distance between them without making it obvious when they rounded the house. 

After dropping her duffel at the corner of the bed, she looked once more outside the window. “Can we go out there,” she asked, still not meeting Neil’s eyes, “by the pool?”

He snapped his head up, looking away from his fingers he was fiddling with. “Yeah sure.” His face lit up because Tessa had actually said more than one word to him. Tessa could tell Neil was nervous the second she got out the car. Andrew was more difficult to read.

As they got closer to the pool, Tessa noticed the wall behind the bar was showered with pictures of foxes as well as a framed personalized white jersey that read ‘Josten-Minyard’ with an orange number 13 in the middle. There were a few pictures with the current team as well. Tessa eyed the goofy ones where Danielle and Allison were pouting as their faces sandwiched a gleeful Neil with his tongue sticking out. The only picture Andrew was present in was one in his graduation cap and gown. He was standing next to his twin brother, Aaron who was standing next to someone who’d been cut out. Maybe their mom, Tessa thought. 

“You guys have something against the lady you cut out that photo or something?” She joked, pointing towards it. 

Neil chuckled, “yeah that’s Aaron’s wife, katelyn. Andrew isn’t really like that with her.” Tessa gave him a look signaling for him to elaborate, “it’s a really long story. They have like a gazillion kids though. I’m sure you’ll met them on the trip.”

“What trip?” 

“Oh yeah. Every year we take a trip back South Carolina to watch the championship game in support of Dan and the team. We basically spend the whole weekend in this one hotel and rent out the like 2 penthouses ‘cause there’s so many of us. We always have Nick and Eve’s birthday party on that night too.” He pointed at a specific spot on the wall.That’s when she noticed a whole line of similar pictures with the same people. Neil took one of the pictures down and showed Tessa on the bar’s counter. 

“Aaron and Kate have four kids: Layla; Nicholas and Evelyn, who’re twins, and Raquel who’s best friends with Dan’s daughter, Cara who’s Colby’s sister. There’s also Renee and Jean’s daughter, CJ. She’s actually fifteen too.” He explained, pointing his index finger every time a new name was mentioned. 

“She’s wearing a Siren’s team hoodie. She play Exy?”

“Yeah she does. I’ve seen her. She’s actually really good.”

“What, Because it’s coming from you it’s like confirmed or whatever?” She teased but regretted it when Neil gave a nervous look. “Her dad plays for the fucking American national team. I’d be pretty concerned of she wasn’t ‘good’, dude.” Neil opened his mouth to say something but hesitated as his face filled with confusion, “Neil, I’m joking.”

Neil sighed in relief, “oh. Oh-yeah yeah yeah. I knew that. I mean like pshh.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah.”

“Okay. So...speaking of Exy.” She gave a look between Neil and the Racquets displayed on the wall. No doubt Neil and Andrew’s old ones. “Are you any good?” She takes one down and passes it to Neil. “Neil Josten,” she teases on and grabs a racquet for herself, “starting striker for the California Grizzly Bears, number 10 was it?” It was. She knew that.

She nudged Neil to the left so he was facing a stockade fence thirteen feet away. She toed off her shoes and set them a few meters apart so she was standing in a makeshift ‘goal’ opposite him. 

“Lets see if you can score against a fifteen year old.”

Neil swept up a ball and took a shot, missed but got it past her on the rebound. He kept on and got six out of eleven goals. Tessa noticed how Neil started going easy on her after the third goal in a row. Neil took one last shot that seemed impossible to block but Tessa smacked it to the other side of the yard signaling that they were done. 

Neil folded his arms and propped his them on his racquet in a leaning position, “Jesus Christ, kid. Where’d you learn to play like that?”

“Had a lot of time on my hands I guess.” She began to put her shoes on, “There was nothing to do at home and it was the sport that seemed most interesting.”

“You’re a natural.”

“Nah.” Yeah.

Tessa only started Exy when she was twelve years old, shortly after entering the system. Arielle recommended that she start a sport and Tessa was intrigued by the almost violent aspect of Exy. She was close to falling into depression so she used Exy as a distraction from her personal problems like how she was then diagnosed with anxiety.   
She made first team as an offensive dealer but her coach changed his mind when he learnt about Tessa’s ‘violent upbringings’. She didn’t deny her short temper but she didn’t think anyone noticed how purposely brutal she was when playing. She thought the coach would see that as an advantage to their line. She was switched to play goalkeeper. Coach said it was because she had good hand-eye coordination, which she did but she knew it was because that way she couldn’t physically interact with anyone on the court. She was upset at first but she started to care when she realized herself that she was indeed an amazing goalkeeper.   
*

Arielle gave Tessa one last tight and everlasting hug and drove off. She watched until the white coupe drove away and disappeared on the other side of the drawing gate. The three filed back into the large house. Andrew and Neil settled on two barstools but Tessa decided to go upstairs. 

She emptied her duffel and dropped her school backpack on the chair by the desk. The sun was beginning to set but it was still hot. She felt sweaty so she prepared to shower. When she got out, she couldn’t keep her eyes off her reflection. Her light grey eyes stared back at her, piercing through the glass, almost prickling away at the freckles that dotted along her nose and chest - well as much as the towel displayed of her chest- Tessa hated looking at herself. She inherited too much of her mother’s looks, never mind her heavily tanned skin tone from her Brazilian father, plus years spent growing up in Hawaii. She always tried to avoid looking at her arms because it made her feel things and that in itself was an uncomfortable feeling. Her breathing began to uneven so she distracted herself with the task of tying her hair in 2 Dutch braids so her dark brown hair would be curlier the next day. She hadn’t had a panic attack in three months. That her longest streak. To anyone else it would appear like she was getting better, even Arielle. But really she was forcing it down down down six feet under with her left foot slowly sinking into the grave. 

She put her hoodie on and ventured downstairs. Neil seemed to have disappeared from the kitchen but Andrew was still there eating a pint of ice cream. Andrew pushed Neil’s abandoned chair out with his foot, inviting Tessa over. 

“Hi.” Was all she could say, still not meeting his eyes. She looked at the fridge door as if it was the answer to everything to ever exist.

“Hey. Would you like some? There’s another one in the freezer.”

“Nah. I’m not really hungry.” Liar. 

“I left a note with the passwords and everything on your desk. We already signed you into Netflix so you can just make your own account.”

“Yeah, I saw it. Thanks.”

Andrew and Tessa didn’t held a casual conversation until Neil came in with takeout that Tessa assumed he’d gone out to collect. They ate pizza and watched a movie and Andrew ate even more ice cream, Neil joining him this time. Tessa went back up to her room and surprisingly had a peaceful sleep. Tomorrow she would go with Andrew and Neil to Calabasas high school and enroll as a sophomore. Scary, but maybe this time would be different.

**Author's Note:**

> Ya’ll...


End file.
